Three Gorges Disaster Prevention Program on Schedule

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, April 06, 2003

Three Gorges Disaster Prevention Program on Schedule

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A 483-million-US dollar geological disaster prevention program at the Three Gorges was more than 70 percent complete and would be finished by June 1, when the Three Gorges reservoir is set to be filled, a senior official said Saturday.

Tian Fengshan, minister of land and resources, said at a national meeting that the program would effectively guarantee the safety of people living along the reservoir area and the reservoir itself.

Shou Jiahua, vice-minister of land and resources, said geological risk assessments had been completed in 19 of the 20 counties due to be submerged, and more than 6,200 possible sites had been found.

Geological disasters, such as landslides, subsidence and mud-rock flows, are frequent in the Three Gorges reservoir area. Since1982, more than 70 geological disasters have occurred in the area,leaving more than 400 people dead.

The Three Gorges reservoir is expected to be filled from June 1,and on June 15, its depth will reach 135 meters. The water level will be increased to 175 meters in 2009.

Shou emphasized that the reservoir filling might have a negative influence on the local geological stability. The overall program on geological disaster prevention in Three Gorges area is aimed to remove those hidden problems in advance.

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